Review: Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

Publisher: Riverhead Books
Pages: 386
Received: I received a copy from Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: May 2, 2017
Buy From Chapters.ca / Buy From BookDepository.com

Goodreads Synopsis:

A single mother turns up dead at the bottom of the river that runs through town. Earlier in the summer, a vulnerable teenage girl met the same fate. They are not the first women lost to these dark waters, but their deaths disturb the river and its history, dredging up secrets long submerged.

Left behind is a lonely fifteen-year-old girl. Parentless and friendless, she now finds herself in the care of her mother's sister, a fearful stranger who has been dragged back to the place she deliberately ran from—a place to which she vowed she'd never return.

With the same propulsive writing and acute understanding of human instincts that captivated millions of readers around the world in her explosive debut thriller, The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins delivers an urgent, twisting, deeply satisfying read that hinges on the deceptiveness of emotion and memory, as well as the devastating ways that the past can reach a long arm into the present.

Beware a calm surface—you never know what lies beneath.

My Review:

Like everyone else in the world, I fell in love with the mystery of Paula's first novel The Girl on the Train. It was the type of book that kept me on my toes and I was guessing throughout the whole story, and when I came to the end, I was still left so surprised. So naturally, after hearing about this new book I had to jump right in as soon as I received the book. 

This book definitely has a great mystery surrounding it, me being someone who is already nervous in water (I am not a great swimmer at all!), this book had me a little uncomfortable at times. But, sadly, as I read this story I compared it to her first one (as much as I tried not to it was difficult). I can't say that this book lives up to what The Girl on the Train was, I had a hard time because there were so many characters involved, it took me awhile to catch up to which character I was following at one time.

There were some characters that I wanted to follow more often and I felt that with the amount of characters I lost out on getting deeper into their thoughts.Paula goes back in time showing how history may have had a hand, and yet I felt like if the book was longer there could have been more details.  Despite this, the story still drew me in, something about how everyone's stories came together, especially the stories of these women ending up in the water... how did these two women who are a generation apart end up with the same fate, what about their lives were intertwined? But more so, the way Paula goes into the aftermath and how everyone else has been affected by these tragedies is what really kept me going with this story.

This book may not be anything like Paula's first novel, and yet she still writes a mystery that will leave you guessing. This book just left me wanting a little more from the characters in the end, yet still had me intrigued as to what happened and why. Though I did not like this one as much as The Girl On The Train, I still think I will give Paula another try with her next book, her mysteries are gripping enough to keep me intrigued! 

Spotlight: The Measure of the Moon by Lisa Preston

Publisher: Thomas Mercer Publishing
Pages: 336
Received: Received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley

Release Date: May 16, 2017

Goodreads Synopsis:

When eight-year-old Greer Donner falls off his horse in the Washington wilderness, he braces himself to face the long hike home alone. But screams pierce the darkness, and he stumbles upon a dead-end road where a man is beating a woman—nearly to death. In a moment of courage, he stops the assault, but he’s left to face the man, who turns his wrath into an ominous threat: if the boy ever reveals what he has seen, his family will pay the ultimate price. The secret Greer now carries begins his emotional unraveling.

In Seattle, Gillian Trett is a photographer with a troubled marriage and a childhood she’s trying to forget. Domestic tension mounts when her husband’s stepsister arrives. Desperate for a distraction, and a way to advance her career, Gillian throws herself into uncovering the history behind an old man’s Holocaust photo of boys in a forest. The mysterious children and the truth behind the scene haunt her—she can’t let go of the image, or of her own shadowed past.


Then a horrifying revelation entangles Gillian’s path with young Greer’s. The boy and the woman, separated by a generation and a hundred miles, each confront the terrible power of harbored secrets—not only to eclipse the truth but also to illuminate the dark, unknown dimensions of their loved ones and themselves.

My Review:

I was very intrigued with the synopsis of the book, Lisa Preston really tackles how one moment can affect someone. But what really brought everything together was the way she intertwined the different stories and brought these two unlikely characters together. I will say it took me some time to get into the story, I found that there is a lot of time spent on getting the readers to know the different characters, that it took away from the story at first.

I really enjoyed the story of the Donner family, I loved how they are a huge family who all come together and care for each other. Though I will say that it was hard to follow along with which character was which, I felt that everyone in the family all seemed very similar and there were not too many huge character differences. I think this was done to really single out Greer (which was absolutely achieved), since he is the main character going through the difficult time.

The biggest concern I had while reading this book is how long it took to bring these two stories together to meet, everything happens closer to the end of the book and it made it quite difficult to keep reading. I felt disconnected through a lot of the story and felt that the second storyline did not need to be as in depth, that really took away from the main idea of what is happening to Greer and I felt myself wanting more of that family dynamic while I was with the other story.

Lisa Preston keeps you intrigued and on your toes, but I felt like something just missed the mark with this story, and things just felt a tad bit disconnected from one another.

Discussion - Podcasts

I always hear people talking about different podcasts that they have really gotten into, and a few years ago I went on a binge (around the time that Welcome to Nightvale came out, that was the reason for my binge) but then I kind of lost interest and stopped listening to podcasts.

Well last night, I started a binge again, I went on a day of searching for podcasts that would pique my interest, I of course went back to Welcome to Nightvale, which is what got me started again, and I also went back to the more humourous ones, like The Nerdist podcast which I was listening to before as well. 

Image taken from www.wnyc.org

But of course, me being who I am, a lover of books, my search obviously went straight to podcasts related to books. The one that I immediately downloaded was one done by The New York Times, it's called "The Writer's Voice". Once a week, you are able to listen to an author who reads one of their short stories that has been published in The New York Times. I'm not usually one for short stories but listening to this has absolutely changed my perspective on that. These are usually only little half an hour episodes and it's something that would be nice to listen to on my way to work, I don't really listen to audiobooks because I don't have that long of a drive and then I sometimes forget what happened, after working an 8 hour day.

I've loved listening to these authors read their short stories and it is just enough for one car ride. I find it's also been a great way to get to know some new authors and sample their work. I definitely believe I will find many more authors to read with this podcast! I hear THE NEW YORKER has some great podcasts that will keep me busy!

So tell me, what podcasts have you been listening to? I'd love some new recommendations if you have any! 

Review: Books for Living by Will Schwalbe

Publisher: Knopf Publishing Group
Pages: 288
Received: Purchased my own copy

Release Date: December 27, 2016

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of the beloved New York Times best-selling The End of Your Life Book Club, an inspiring and magical exploration of the power of books to shape our lives in an era of constant connectivity.

Why is it that we read? Is it to pass time? To learn something new? To escape from reality? For Will Schwalbe, reading is a way to entertain himself but also to make sense of the world, to become a better person, and to find the answers to the big (and small) questions about how to live his life. In this delightful celebration of reading, Schwalbe invites us along on his quest for books that speak to the specific challenges of living in our modern world, with all its noise and distractions. In each chapter, he discusses a particular book—what brought him to it (or vice versa), the people in his life he associates with it, and how it became a part of his understanding of himself in the world. These books span centuries and genres (from classic works of adult and children’s literature to contemporary thrillers and even cookbooks), and each one relates to the questions and concerns we all share. Throughout, Schwalbe focuses on the way certain books can help us honor those we’ve loved and lost, and also figure out how to live each day more fully. Rich with stories and recommendations, Books for Living is a treasure for everyone who loves books and loves to hear the answer to the question: “What are you reading?”

My Review:

My love for Will Schwalbe happened very quickly after reading The End of Your Life Book Club. As soon as I found out he had another book coming, I knew that this book needed to be on my shelf. Will's writing has a very special place in my heart and on my bookshelf because of how he is able to equate each book with a special time in his life. Books for the Living truly takes that and runs with it.

Each chapter is based off one specific book and as Will writes about this book, he talks about how the book has shaped his life or how he is able to equate a certain situation to situations in the story itself. Will Schwalbe's books are truly written for lovers of books like himself. I found many times while reading this book that after finishing a chapter I would need to put the book down and think about what Will spoke about and the things he felt while reading these books. Will truly makes you think, and he makes you want to read these books to see what you get, but even more than that, Will makes you think about what books you have read and which ones have touched your life in the way these books have touched his.

Reading this book reminds me of why I love books so much, sometimes I love books because they take me on a journey and yet I also love books that truly make me think and that change the way I may look at life after finishing it. This book truly makes me think of the conversations I have with people, one of the great things for me is that at my work I get to have a lot of conversations with people and many times while these people are walking around I get to have a lot of conversations with them about what they are reading. And I have learned that by talking about the books we are reading we get to know each other that much more, just like Will discusses in this book.

Honestly there are just so many great pages and quotes throughout the book, if I was one of those people who hi-lighted my books, I believe that there would not be a part of this book that would be left bare. That is the type of book that Will writes, every word absolutely touches you and leaves you thinking about what you just last read. I truly hope that Will continues to write about the books that he has read and what they mean to him. He is absolutely an author for those that truly love books and want to read about books.

I will end this review with the quote that stuck out to me the most, and it is how Will ends his book "When I read, I'm reminded to be more thoughtful about how I approach each day. And that's not just important for living: it's the least I can do for the dead. I read to live. I read for life." Those last few words truly hit home for me.

Blog Tour: The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 398
Received: Received a copy from Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: January 3, 2017
Buy From Chapters.ca / Buy From BookDepository.com

Goodreads Synopsis:

A teenage misfit named Hawthorn Creely inserts herself in the investigation of missing person Lizzie Lovett, who disappeared mysteriously while camping with her boyfriend. Hawthorn doesn't mean to interfere, but she has a pretty crazy theory about what happened to Lizzie. In order to prove it, she decides to immerse herself in Lizzie's life. That includes taking her job... and her boyfriend. It's a huge risk — but it's just what Hawthorn needs to find her own place in the world.

My Review:

First off I want to say thank you to Raincoast Books for allowing me to be a part of this blog tour. This book was so much fun to read, and it is quite different from a lot of other books. I am so glad that I am able to talk a bit about this story.

When a girl from town goes missing, the whole town starts to speculate about what happened to her, she was a very beloved girl that everyone knew, and they all want to know the mystery. Even readers want to know what happened to Lizzie Lovett, as the story continues on though, I almost felt like I forgot about Lizzie's story and I fell into Hawthorn's world.

Hawthorn knows who Lizzie is, let's be honest the whole town knows who she is, but somehow Hawthorn gets herself immersed into her own investigation of what happened to Lizzie Lovett. She comes up with many of her own theories, but one theory really sticks out in her mind, and she does everything that she can to investigate this theory. Hawthorn takes over Lizzie's life to find the answers, to what seems like a crazy theory. While investigating Lizzie, Hawthorn is able to learn a lot more about herself and she finds where she fits in with people.

What I really loved about the book that kept it interesting is how Hawthorn needs to come up with crazy ideas, her life seems boring so she comes up with things to make it more adventurous and fun. Hawthorn is the type who is sarcastic and doesn't care to other people, but when you get to know her you can tell that she is lonely and feels left out, which is why she comes up with all these crazy theories. I can definitely relate to Hawthorn, finding comfort in fiction over reality when I feel like I don't fit in somewhere, it's a way to escape and feel like you belong. Hawthorn goes beyond that fiction though and truly turns it into a reality, but that is what makes this book so much fun.

The secondary characters really help enhance that feeling in Hawthorn, they all look and treat her like she is crazy, except for Enzo. He is looking for what he lost, and in that he enables Hawthorn's crazy ideas. I don't truly like him, I find he is using Hawthorn (then again she seems to be using him as well). It just is not the greatest pairing. Then you also have Hawthorn's family, who in themselves seem crazy and you can see why Hawthorn needs to find her own reality.

This is such a fun book, and yet it is about finding yourself in the absurdities around you as well.

Don't forget to stop by the other blogs this week that will be featuring this book!

Also included in this blog tour, I got to ask Chelsea Sedoti a question about writing and her book. Check out her answer below:

What characteristics of yourself do you see in your characters?

One of my favorite things about writing is that it lets me live lives that aren’t my own. I can create characters who do things I’d never in a million years do. I can invent situations that, realistically, I’ll never find myself in.

For that reason, I try not to make my characters too autobiographical. I’d quickly get bored with them.

At the same time, it’s impossible to entirely remove myself from a story. No matter how different from me a character might be, they still came from my head. They’re a part of me.

Hawthorn and I aren’t the same person. But I understand her feeling of not fitting in. Of not being able to relate to other people. I share her desire to escape from the world. To Hawthorn, real life will never be as exciting as something she’s read in a book or seen in a movie. My outlook isn’t quite as extreme, but I can certainly empathize.

There’s a key area where Hawthorn and I diverge, though. She thinks she can shape the world around her to make it whatever she wants it to be—no matter how outlandish, and no matter what negative impact it might have on other people along the way.

I deal with my desire for magic and adventure differently. I write books.

So, while none of my characters are exactly like me, they definitely have little pieces of my personality or elements of my own experiences. More interesting versions, hopefully.  Because according to Hawthorn, fiction is always more fascinating than reality.

Blog Tour: Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 464
Received: Received a copy from Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: November 8, 2016
Buy From Chapters.ca / Buy From BookDepository.com

Goodreads Synopsis:

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.

Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times-bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

My Review:

First off I would love to thank Raincoast Books for allowing me to be a part of this tour. Marissa Meyer is such an amazing storyteller and I am so glad to be able to shout out from the rooftops how amazing her books are!! The cover of this book is so different from what is out there lately, it's so simple and yet very effective of drawing people in.

Now on to the review... what to say about this book, it is amazing with characters that are truly brought to life. You don't need to have read Alice in Wonderland to know anything about this book, it is a great introduction to the story though. Everyone always wondered how The Queen of Hearts got to be how she is, well Marissa really brings her story to light and shows that at one time she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love and she had dreams of her own.

Cath has big dreams of becoming a baker and opening her own store but her family has other ideas for her, and poor Cath has trouble fighting for what she really wants if that means disappointing her parents. Cath's parents are quite interesting secondary characters, they are polar opposites, her mother is a very opinionated person who takes over and forces Cath's hand in certain situations, whereas her father is the one who shows affection but is very quiet and withdrawn. It is understandable to see where Cath comes from to see who she is younger and who she becomes as well.

I can absolutely say that while reading this book, even though knowing how things would end for Cath, I still had hope that everything would change and she would get everything that she wished for so that she could truly live happily ever after. Marissa Meyer's writing makes you forget about the story that you already know and love and it feels like a completely different story that you hold out hope for all the characters to find what they are looking for.

Just like Alice in Wonderland, this book has all the fun and magic to it with the darkness hiding underneath everything, you can see how the darkness and terror of Wonderland is truly unleashed and why it becomes what we all know it as. I actually adored the King of Hearts in this book though, he is quirky and shy and he stumbles to let how he feels be known, I truly did imagine the cartoon version of him throughout the book and it made me love him that much more.

Then we have the Jest, and what a character he is, he truly brings out the best in Cath, and helps her realize how strong she can be. Jest is someone that I fell in love with right away, he has an air of mystery about him but he is fun and witty as well. And his role in this book is a huge one, I don't think Cath would be who she is, or would she turn into what we know her as The Queen of Hearts if it wasn't for Jest.

For those who love the classic Alice in Wonderland or even for those readers who don't know it but are always looking for adventure and magic, Marissa Meyer delivers for all in her newest book!!!



Check out the other blogs on this tour as well!!

I am lucky enough to be able to show you a little more about Cath's father The Marquess, as well. The Marquess is known through the land for his amazing storytelling abilities, it is a skill that sadly does not get passed down to his daughter (though she does have other amazing skills). Readers can just imagine a sparkle in his eye as he tells his stories and revels audiences with them.

Heartless Excerpt: The Marquess

“That is hardly an excuse. You know now. You knew today. I am marvelously disappointed, Catherine. I know you can do better than this.”

Cath looked at her father, hoping for defense. “Is this how you feel too?”

He turned his head up, the slices of roast beef and pumpkin on his plate already three-quarters eaten. His expression, though bewildered at first, quickly softened, and he reached for Cath, settling his hand on her wrist.

“Of course, dear,” he said. “You can do anything you put your mind to.”

Cath sighed. “Thanks, Papa.”

He gave her a loving pat before returning his attention to his plate. Shifting in her seat, Cath resigned herself to her mother’s disappointment and focused on cutting her meat into very tiny pieces.

“I was so hopeful for those macarons too,” the Marchioness continued. “I realize it isn’t ladylike to slave away in the kitchen all day, but he does fancy your desserts and I thought, once he tastes them, he’ll remember why he meant to propose in the first place. How could you have failed at such a simple task?” She scowled at Catherine’s plate. “You’ve eaten enough now, Catherine.”

Catherine looked up. At her mother’s twisted mouth, at the top of her father’s lowered head, at Mary Ann and Abigail pretending to not be listening. She set down her knife and fork. “Yes, Mother.”

With a snap of her mother’s fingers, the plates were taken away, even her father’s, though he was still clutching his fork. He soon slumped with resignation.

Before the awkwardness could stretch on, the Marquess perked up. “I heard the most delightful tale at the party today,” he said, dabbing his napkin at the corners of his mustache, “about a little girl who discovered an upward-falling rabbit hole just off the Crossroads, and when she started to climb, her body fell up and up and—”

“Not now, dear,” said his wife. “Can’t you see we’re discussing our daughter’s prospects?” Then she grumbled, “If she has any left at all, that is.”

The Marquess deflated, and set his napkin on the table. “Of course, my dear. You always know just the right thing to talk about.”

Review: The Regulars by Georgia Clark

Publisher: Atria
Pages: 394
Received: Received a copy from Simon and Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: August 2, 2016
Buy From Chapters.ca / Buy From BookDepository.com

Goodreads Synopsis:

A fierce and feisty debut with a magical twist about three ordinary, regular girls who suddenly have their fantasies come true... or do they?

Best friends Evie, Krista, and Willow are just trying to make it through their mid-twenties in New York. They’re regular girls, with average looks and typical quarter-life crises: making it up the corporate ladder, making sense of online dating, and making rent.

Until they come across Pretty, a magic tincture that makes them, well... gorgeous. Like, supermodel gorgeous. And it’s certainly not their fault if the sudden gift of beauty causes unexpected doors to open for them.

But there’s a dark side to Pretty, too, and as the gloss fades for these modern-day Cinderellas, there’s just one question left: What would you sacrifice to be Pretty?

My Review:

I was really excited for this book when I first heard about it, it sounded like an interesting premise and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. After finishing this book, I found my expectations were too high and this book did not deliver what I thought I would get out of it. In the end this book just disappointed me and I had a lot of trouble actually finishing it.

The one good thing that I did take out of this story was how these three characters truly learn to love themselves for who they are in the end. What I really disliked about this book is how a lot of issues come across, these three girls are made to be undesirable women (or at least two out of the three are). I understand that these girls are self-conscious (many women are with how the media portrays people).

Once the "Pretty" is introduced and the girls change who they are and their attitudes completely change, they become the worst sort of people (at least that is how it seems). The way they believe that if they look good they can change things because pretty people are taken more seriously. I did enjoy that they get a good harsh dose of reality and see that "pretty" people are actually treated the same if not worse at times.

This is a really hard book for me to review just because I had so much trouble getting through the story. I could not connect with the characters at all and I just did not like how people were treated throughout the book, even the way the girls saw themselves and acted after the became "pretty". All in all this was a difficult book that I sadly cannot recommend.

Review: Betrayals by Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Random House Canada
Series: Cainsville #4
Pages: 400
Received: Received a copy from Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: August 9, 2016
Buy From Chapters.ca / Buy From BookDepository.com

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Olivia's life exploded--after she found out she was not the adopted child of a privileged Chicago family but of a notorious pair of convicted serial killers--she found a refuge in the secluded but oddly welcoming town of Cainsville, Illinois. Working with Gabriel Walsh, a fiendishly successful criminal lawyer with links to the town, she discovered the truth about her parents' crimes in an investigation that also revealed the darker forces at work in the place that had offered her a haven. As if that wasn't enough, she also found out that she, Gabriel and her biker boyfriend Ricky were not caught in an ordinary sort of love triangle, but were hereditary actors in an ancient drama in which the elders of Cainsville and the mysterious Huntsmen who opposed them had a huge stake.

Now someone is killing street kids in the city, and the police have tied Ricky to the crimes. Setting out with Gabriel's help to clear Ricky's name, Olivia once again finds her own life at risk. Soon the three are tangled in a web of betrayals that threatens their uneasy equilibrium and is pushing them toward a hard choice: either they fulfill their destinies by trusting each other and staying true to their real bonds, or they succumb to the extraordinary forces trying to win an eternal war by tearing them apart.

My Review:

How I always love coming back to Cainsville year after year!! I was so happy when this book came that I read it almost right away (though I am reviewing it quite awhile after). This series is top of my love list, Armstrong has really brought everyone to life in her writing and each book gives readers new information. It is impossible to guess where she will go next with the story. As readers get deeper into the story, we find out more about Olivia's past, but even more so there is a deeper past that she is a part of as well, and this has caused a fight between two different mythical groups. Honestly, the deeper I go into Olivia's story, the faster I read through these books, they are all impossible to put down, but as soon as I get another one I need to binge the whole story.

Now that Olivia, Ricky and Gabriel have found out that they are incarnations of a past trio, they need to find out if they will allow history to rewrite itself or if they will follow in the path that has already happened. What I love about this story is how each book has a new problem, and yet Kelley still has the main story going behind these new issues that arise. As the story continues, readers get to learn even more information about Olivia's parents. It is great to continue and find more secrets hidden, there are always more surprises around every corner.

This is the fourth book in the series, and each one gets more intense for Olivia. She dives deeper into her visions as the story continues to learn more about her past and what has happened to past incarnations of this love triangle. This book truly shows that things are quickly coming to a head and there are many decisions that need to be made.

What is truly amazing about this series is how strong Olivia is, but also Gabriel and Ricky are very different characters who are both always there to help Olivia. As the books continue, readers can see that though Ricky and Gabriel are supposed to be at odds with one another, they work to stay away from the past and they will be there for one another, they both have the same end goal (to keep Olivia safe).

I can definitely say that the ending of this book (like that of all the others) has me needing more of this series, there are a lot of decisions that are being made that will change everyone's lives and I for one can't wait to see how this will all turn out. Truly this has been one of the most intense series I have read in awhile and the best one at that, it is one that will continue to get better and to keep bringing out surprises to keep all readers on their toes no matter what.

Review: The Madwoman Upstairs by Catherine Lowell

Publisher: Touchstone
Pages: 352
Received: Received a copy from Simon and Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: March 1, 2016
Buy From Chapters.ca / Buy From BookDepository.com

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this smart and enthralling debut in the spirit of The Weird Sisters and Special Topics in Calamity Physics, the only remaining descendant of the Brontë family embarks on a modern-day literary scavenger hunt to find the family's long-rumored secret estate, using clues her eccentric father left behind.

Samantha Whipple is used to stirring up speculation wherever she goes. As the last remaining descendant of the Brontë family, she's rumored to have inherited a vital, mysterious portion of the Brontë's literary estate; diaries, paintings, letters, and early novel drafts; a hidden fortune that's never been shown outside of the family.

But Samantha has never seen this rumored estate, and as far as she knows, it doesn't exist. She has no interest in acknowledging what the rest of the world has come to find so irresistible; namely, the sudden and untimely death of her eccentric father, or the cryptic estate he has bequeathed to her.

But everything changes when Samantha enrolls at Oxford University and bits and pieces of her past start mysteriously arriving at her doorstep, beginning with an old novel annotated in her father's handwriting. As more and more bizarre clues arrive, Samantha soon realizes that her father has left her an elaborate scavenger hunt using the world's greatest literature. With the aid of a handsome and elusive Oxford professor, Samantha must plunge into a vast literary mystery and an untold family legacy, one that can only be solved by decoding the clues hidden within the Brontë's own writing.

A fast-paced adventure from start to finish, this vibrant and original novel is a moving exploration of what it means when the greatest truth is, in fact, fiction.

My Review:

Wow, this book was a lot more fun than I had expected it to be. I have always been a fan of the novels of the Bronte sisters so the fact that this book held some of that in it really interested me. What I did not expect from it was the amount of history that is really given. This book was a great adventure and a great read that keeps readers on their toes.

Samantha has grown up knowing the history of the Bronte sisters, being the last descendant of that family, but as Samantha embarks on a quest left to her by her late father, she realizes that there may be more about her family history than even she knew. Samantha has come to Oxford to get away from her history but no matter where she goes, the Bronte family continually follows her. What this story turns into is a hunt for Samantha to find out the truth of her family and to finally come to terms with who she is.

I will say as much as I did enjoy the scavenger hunt that this book gives readers and the history of the Bronte's, I felt that something was missing. To me Samantha did not seem to have much character and she felt a bit one-dimensional. As I was reading this book, I felt myself more interested in the mystery of what happened to the estate of the Bronte sisters and the way the history of the sisters was hidden in the stories, but I could not connect with Samantha. I believe what this story needed was more character development to really give it the edge over other stories.

There was a lot of interesting details and it is very obvious that Catherine Lowell truly researched this story, but I think the story of Samantha got lost in the history of the Brontes and this is a story of her trying to get away from that past. I think this was a very fun book and I felt that there were many interesting parts, but it just needed a little more to it.

Review: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 391
Received: Received a copy from Hachette Book Group Canada in exchange for an honest review


Release Date: May 31, 2016
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Goodreads Synopsis:

On a foggy summer night, eleven people—ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter—depart Martha's Vineyard on a private jet headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the plane plunges into the ocean. The only survivors are Scott Burroughs—the painter—and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of an immensely wealthy and powerful media mogul's family.

With chapters weaving between the aftermath of the crash and the backstories of the passengers and crew members—including a Wall Street titan and his wife, a Texan-born party boy just in from London, a young woman questioning her path in life, and a career pilot—the mystery surrounding the tragedy heightens. As the passengers' intrigues unravel, odd coincidences point to a conspiracy. Was it merely by dumb chance that so many influential people perished? Or was something far more sinister at work? Events soon threaten to spiral out of control in an escalating storm of media outrage and accusations. And while Scott struggles to cope with fame that borders on notoriety, the authorities scramble to salvage the truth from the wreckage.

My Review:

I have just recently started watching Fargo, the television series, and I have really loved it, so when I heard that one of the producers of that show had a book coming out I knew it would be something I would enjoy. This book has a great mystery aspect to it, what is it that happened in such a short amount of time and caused a huge tragedy.

I was intrigued by this story and the background of everyone involved, slowly piece by piece the puzzle is revealed and you get to know each of the characters and their history. I will say that I did have some issues getting through the book, it is a confusing read, there is a lot of back and forth from what brought each character to the plane that day and then back to the events following the crash and the aftermath. There were quite a few times that I found the story hard to follow, also because I put it down for so long and then forgot about things I had read before.

I will say that I was more consumed by the chapters that dealt with the aftermath of the crash, seeing how the little boy manages and how those that love him come to his rescue, but also the bond that Scott ends up having with this little boy after saving his life. I really loved Scott's story, he is a very strong character and he is the one who is having the toughest time in the aftermath, why is he the only one who survived? What I really loved is how this story shows the ways people can interpret something so quickly and turn a story so that it works in their favour. Noah Hawley makes it difficult at times for readers to make their own judgments about the characters because they are being thrown at you right from the beginning.

This is definitely the type of book that you can't put down for too long of a period of time or you lose the story. And it is one that you need to pay attention to everyone, you can never be too careful of who you meet and the motives they have to harm others. I did enjoy many parts of this book, but just had a lot of issues keeping myself motivated to read it. This is a good mystery book that has so many parts to it, you can't tell if you are on the right track with answers, but at the same time it felt like a little more of a blocking for a television show as well and I think that is what made it hard for me to stick with it for long periods of time.

This is the type of book that won't be for everyone but is one that needs a chance because it will be an interesting read.

Blog Tour Review and Excerpt: The Cabin by Natasha Preston

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 336
Received: Received a copy from Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: September 6, 2016
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Goodreads Synopsis:

There may only be one killer, but no one is innocent in this new thriller from Natasha Preston, author of The Cellar and Awake.

When Mackenzie treks to a secluded cabin in the woods with six friends, she expects a fun weekend of partying, drinking, and hookups. But when they wake to find two of their own dead and covered in blood, it's clear there's a killer among them.

As the police try to unravel the case, Mackenzie launches her own investigation. Before long secrets start to emerge, revealing a sinister web of sins among the original seven friends. The killer is still free. Every one of them is a suspect. And Mackenzie starts to realize that no one is innocent… 

My Review:

I have to absolutely thank Raincoast Books for having me a part of this amazing blog tour. I hadn't heard of Natasha Preston before this book, though I don't know how I missed her. This book was impossible to put down. I'm betting her previous books are just as intense and I know I will be searching for those in the near future. 

Right from the beginning, Natasha introduces readers to these characters but everything is very vague and you really learn that not everything is as it seems as the story continues. Everyone seems innocent in the beginning but everyone has something to hide and has a reason to be a suspect. Mackenzie is the most trusting person and it is hard on her to find out how everyone has their own secrets, even when she has hers as well. This book is hard to review because I don't want to give away all the secrets that come with it, and trust me there are a lot that make it hard to process sometimes. 

I actually found that Mackenzie reminded myself of me quite a bit in this book, she is the type who cares wholeheartedly about those that are closest to her. Mackenzie wants to protect everyone and she will always put them above herself in many situations. She wants to see the best in everyone and every situation, and sadly for her this can cause some problems and get her in more danger as things get more intense as they close in on the killer. But yet, throughout all these difficulties, Mackenzie also starts up a new unlikely friendship and Blake is the one person who can actually keep Mackenzie distracted and adds some good humour to a very dark story. 

I love how this book is about such a close group of friends and yet they each have huge secrets that affect how this group works. What is interesting is how the book opens up mentioning another accident, but it takes time to find out what it is that happened. There are secrets behind that evening as well, and it just seems that things keep piling up one after another. 

I flew through this book needing the answers and things just kept getting more intense as I continued making it that much harder to stop. Natasha Preston truly keeps things interesting and hidden making you read to the very end without ever giving away the answer. She reveals information slowly and at interesting points. This is such a great mystery book with an intense story and I definitely can't wait to read more from Natasha in the future (also going back and reading her past books!!)



And now for an excerpt from the book!

Two hours later, Blake and I were back at the cabin and indulging in drinking games with my friends. It didn’t take long for me to get tipsy again…and then go straight to being drunk. I still knew my name and the prime minister’s, but I’d definitely had one too many.

Tipping my head back, I laughed hysterically until my stomach muscles screamed in protest. Everything that was only remotely amusing when you were sober was heightened when you were drunk—-so Kyle falling over was hilarious. He didn’t even go all the way down—-it was more like a stumble—-but I was drunk, so it didn’t matter. He stood up and looked around as if hoping no one had seen.

I giggled uncontrollably.

“Piss off,” he snapped, narrowing his eyes at Courtney as she laughed too.

“Touchy,” she muttered, leaning into Josh’s chest as he put his arm around her.

Kyle folded his arms. “Touchy? Really, Court?”

If Courtney had tripped, she wouldn’t have found it funny.

“Back off,” Josh barked.

Could we not go an hour without someone arguing anymore? Pre--Josh we rarely bickered. I groaned and held my full stomach. It was full from stuffing my face with enchiladas, and it was probably the only reason I could hold all of the alcohol I’d drunk.

Blake kicked his feet up on the coffee table and threw his arm over the back of the sofa behind me. Aaron’s baby blues turned suspicious as he watched us. I refused to meet his eye and wrapped my arms around myself, not liking being the center of anyone’s attention.

My walk with Blake had caused a few raised eyebrows. My friends—-minus Court and definitely excluding Josh—-seemed to think he was bad news, but that was probably because he was related to Josh and they hadn’t really spoken to him yet. If they were giving Josh a second—-or tenth—-chance, they could certainly well give Blake a first one. Aaron was stubborn and protective though, so I knew he’d be the hardest to convince.

“Oh my God, we’re gonna be so hungover tomorrow,” Megan whined. She wasn’t as drunk as she acted, but she had always been like that. She’d perfected her look--at--me wobble, blatantly tripping over her own feet. She didn’t like being drunk and losing control, but she didn’t like to be the odd one out, so she pretended. Everyone knew she pretended. I think she knew we knew, but we all went along with it and laughed at silly, drunk Megan wobbling. It was kind of ridiculous.

“More shots!” Aaron announced, pointing to the empty shot glasses on the table. I had lost count of how many we had done so far. But as much as we had already drunk, we were going pretty slow compared to that night.

Blake was surprisingly sober for the amount he’d put away. I suspected he drank quite a bit at home to have that kind of tolerance. He walked in a straight line when he got up for more beer.

As the shots kept coming, I started to feel sick. My stomach turned, and every time I swallowed, I felt like my throat was pinching shut. Megan had brought some Italian liquor with her and made us finish the bottle because, as she put it, “If I take that crap back with me, my mother will disown me.” I could see why. It tasted of lemon and burned on the way down. It was probably what toilet cleaner tasted like. We also polished off Aaron’s bottle of spiced rum.

I groaned and craned my neck. My body felt heavy and weak. I was getting to the sleepy part of being drunk. Everything was swimming and spinning.

“Does anyone else feel weird?” I asked.

God, I’ll be lucky if I’m not sick tonight.

Megan giggled. “What, drunk?”

“Sort of. I guess,” I replied, pressing my hands to my face. I was too hot. Please don’t throw up. The taste and feel of it rushing up my throat made me panic.